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Hurricane Mitch Relief EffortsNovember 9, 1998Nutrition, Clean Water, Disease-Prevention are Focus of Relief EffortsDoctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) continues to assist victims of Hurricane Mitch in Nicaragua, Honduras, Guatemala, and El Salvador. MSF's overall objective in Central America is to prevent epidemics, provide medical care to the injured and emergency shelter to the homeless, rehabilitate damaged clinics, hospitals, water and sanitation structures, and prevent malnutrition among the victims of Hurricane Mitch. MSF is striving to prevent:
Activities by Country:HondurasMSF is distributing drugs, medical supplies, and clean water to health centers and shelters in San Pedro Sula, Puerto Cortés, Omoa, La Ceiba, Iriona, Tocoa, and Tegucigalpa. A cargo arrived from Costa Rica with medicines, medical supplies and equipment, emergency shelter, and water and sanitation supplies, including: water chlorination kits, 2,000- and 15,000-liter water tanks, communications equipment, and a Zodiac boat. Another cargo plane will arrive within the next few days, with cholera treatment material to care for 10,000 people for 3 months (in case of an epidemic). NicaraguaRelief efforts are being concentrated on the hard-hit regions of Chinandega (Chichigalpa, Posotelga, and Somotillo), Esteli (San Juan de Limay, and Condega), Ocotal (Ocotal City, Quilali, Panali, La Vigia, and El Coco), Jinotega (Jinotega city, Wiwili, Cua, and Bocay), Managua (San Francisco Libre), and Nueva Segovia. MSF is distributing drugs, medical supplies, and clean drinking water. In addition, we are providing emergency shelter materials, including plastic sheeting, as well as water chlorination and pumping equipment to displaced people. Three tons of MSF's emergency medical supplies-one of the first relief cargoes to reach the country following the hurricane-arrived in Managua on Saturday, October 31, and were distributed. An additional cargo plane arrived Monday, November 2, with 2.2 tons of medicines, medical supplies and equipment, emergency shelter, and 4 tons of water and sanitation supplies. More supplies are to arrive this week. GuatemalaMSF is the only international non-governmental organization taking part in CONRED, the National Commission for the Reduction of Disasters. MSF teams are distributing medicines, medical equipment, emergency shelter, and water and sanitation supplies. Supplies include: water pumps, electric generators, 2,000-, 15,000-, and 20,000-liter water tanks, and water chlorination material, and plastic sheeting. MSF is operating mainly in Chinoc Izabal, Rio Dulce, and Alta Verapaz. El SalvadorMSF is currently conducting an exploratory mission to evaluate needs and send in an emergency relief team and cargo in the next few days. Update: November 3, 1998 Relief Aid Rushed to Central America Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) is actively assisting victims of Hurricane Mitch in Nicaragua, Honduras, and Guatemala, and carrying out additional assessments of humanitarian needs in the region. MSF is also monitoring the situation in Costa Rica, El Salvador, Belize, and Mexico.
Tags: Natural Disaster, Honduras, Nicaragua, Guatemala, El Salvador |
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